Guinea Presidential Race Tightens

New results from Guinea's presidential election show an increasingly tight race to choose a new civilian leader after nearly two years of military rule. Both presidential candidates are calling on their supporters to stay calm as the country awaits final results.

The latest results from Guinea's presidential election show former prime minister Cello Diallo leading opposition politician Alpa Conde by just over 50,000 votes. Mr. Diallo's lead has narrowed with each night's announcement of new results as initial returns from areas where Mr. Diallo did well are offset by districts that Mr. Conde is winning.

Five days after Sunday's vote there is still no clear victor. But the country has remained calm with no repeat of earlier violence between rival supporters that delayed this vote.

In separate meetings with officials from the International Criminal Court, both candidates urged their supporters to remain calm.

Mr. Diallo says his campaign understands well the need to preserve peace.

Mr. Diallo says he is concerned about what could happen if the procedures and rules of this election are not respected. That, he says, could lead to disorder.

Mr. Conde says his supporters have no interest in disrupting the process. Mr. Conde says his campaign has always told its supporters to remain calm because he says that is the way to bring Guinea to democracy and freedom.

Electoral commission president Siaka Toumany Sangare says officials have now received all of the ballots and hope to announce final results by Monday.